Five-star safety recruit Matt Elam has been a Florida Gators commitment for more than a year. Yet over that period of time, questions regarding the solidity of that promise have been many, not assisted by Elam’s repeated statements that he wanted to go on other recruiting trips and was considering a handful of other universities as he remained committed to the University of Florida. During Elam’s official visit to Gainesville, FL, this weekend, he donned a No. 22 blue Gators jersey in the Florida locker room and looks to be as committed as ever with a huge smile on his face. Elam has already filled out his admissions paperwork, but he must wait to submit it until he is officially graduated from Dwyer High School. He has planned to be on campus in January for spring practice in order to get a leg up on next season.

UPDATE: If that wasn’t enough, the picture above is now Elam’s facebook profile photo.

UPDATE II: On the WPTV late local news Sunday night, Elam and his brother Abram (Cleveland Browns safety) were interviewed. Elam did a Gator Chomp and reaffirmed his commitment to the Gators yet again. “I saw a lot of great things at all the places I’ve visited, but I made a commitment for a reason,” Elam said.

I doubt it’s simply a coincidence that he’s wearing a Gator jersey with his number on it and nike hasn’t made 22 jerseys for quite some time. What are the chances the school gave it to him and aren’t there rules against that sort of thing (ie oregan and jonathan stewart)?

I’m 75-80% sure that the rule is that you (1) cannot have the NAME on the back of the jersey or (2) cannot give the jersey to the player to keep. Tons of schools do this and put their names on plates on top of the lockers to show the recruits what it would look like. Also, Emmit Smith was No. 22 (albeit a different style). It is quite feasible to believe that they would have one of those laying around just for showing-off purposes…though it was probably numbered that way specifically for Elam.

I doubt it has his name on it or that they let him keep it. NO WAY would Urban let either of those happen when UT is going through investigations for recruiting violations for antics trying to sway recruits into signing with them. Also he looks like he is built more like a solid CB than a S.

ABOUT US

OnlyGators.com (a/k/a ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive, Only Gators, OGGOA, OG) is an independent website owned by Only Gators, LLC. It is not affiliated in any way with the University of Florida, University Athletic Association or Florida Gators.